Mario Deane
A senior forensic science officer testified Thursday that the blood samples taken from outside Mario Deane's cell at the Barnett Street Police Station lock-up and from his cellmate's clothing matched Deane's DNA.
Anika Lowe, who is the prosecution's 13th witness, made this revelation as she continued her evidence in chief before the Westmoreland Circuit Court.
Ms. Lowe told the court that swabs taken from the passageway in front of Deane's cell and a pair of shorts allegedly belonging to an inmate, Adrian Morgan, all matched nail clippings taken from Deane's left hand.
A DNA profile was also obtained from Deane's mother Mercia Frazer and the comparison of that profile was made against that of the swabs taken from the passageway outside cell number four, fingernail clippings from Deane and Morgan's shorts.
The forensic expert concluded that Frazer could not be excluded from being his biological mother as probability of maternity returned as 99.998%.
She also pointed that no profile was obtained from a swab taken from a drain pipe inside the cell block and that this could be due to the DNA being damaged by excessive moisture exposure to chemicals such as detergent and bleach.
Following the end of her testimony, High court judge Justice Courtney Daye was forced to adjourn the matter due to the unavailability of a witness for the prosecution.
The matter will resume on Monday when a doctor from the Cornwall Regional Hospital, where Deane died, is expected to take the stand.
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